Magic in the UNIES Setting
Magic in Theory Magic, as understood at UNIES, refers to the process of drawing and using etheric energy via an ether core. Through use of their ether core a magician of any kind is capable of using tremendous amounts of magic energy to effect changes in the physical world. The precise limits of magic are not yet well understood as etheric science is a discipline still in its infancy. Theory and tradition from hundreds of sources tells various, often contradictory, stories about what mana cores, ether and magic are, yet the truth is still outside of human grasp. Terminology Ether Core Identified as the soul, spark, atman, Mana Cortex, or thousand other names, the ether core is not yet well understood. In broad terms it is possible to think of the ether core as a component of a living being, much like a heart or lung, which allows that being to gather and use etheric energy. Various religiously affiliated schools of magic have assumed that mana core is some form of soul or other 'spiritual' part of the human existence containing identity. Ether cores can be considered to be either active or dormant. A dormant ether core is technically capable of drawing ether but for reasons that are not yet understood is incapable of doing so. Active ether cores are capable of drawing ether ether on command effectively making their owners into magicians. Once a dormant ether core has, through whatever process, drawn ether once it immediately shifts fully over into an active ether core bestowing its abilities to its owner. How this process might be accomplished is still largely unknown, though certain methods for activating an ether core are known. Firstly that certain infectuous beings capable of transmitting an etheric disease can not only forcibly awaken the ether cores of others but also modify those cores to function identically to the initial being. Secondly there exist many species such as dragons or faeries which have a naturally awakened ether core. Third, ether cores tend to awaken in the presence of awakened ether cores. The children of magicians are able to become magicians with alarming regularity while most foundlings encountered some form of magician in the past. Hearsay indicates that many lineages claim special methods for forcibly awakening ether cores, but the veracity of these claims is not yet determined as members of such lineages guard these secrets with their lives. Ether Ether is the energy which powers magic. Manipulatable, and to modern science, detectable, only by some beings with an active ether core, ether is the underlying force which powers all forms of magical effect. The precise nature of ether is unknown though Misclean Sandrew's (1343-1777) research journal provides evidence that ether is extraterrestrial in origin, drawn from a paralell world of some sort. {C}Ether can further be subdivided into three categories, drawn, ambient and distant ether. Drawn ether is ether gathered and held by a single magician. The rate at which a magician can draw in ether as well as the total amount they can draw generally give fair estimates of a given magician's power. Drawn ether is replenished by absorbing either ambient or distant ether. Numerous magical beings require drawn ether to function and, if they cannot obtain enough such ether, as in the case of the creature on the ocean floor, effectively cease to exist as living beings. The precise physical effects of this state vary. Ambient ether is ether which has seeped over naturally into a given locale or the excess energy left behind in the wake of magical effects. As the great cycle comes to its peak ambient ether across Earth likewise increases to previously unheard of levels. This allows for beings who depend heavily on drawing ambient ether to function far more easily and allows for mages to rapidly create numerous spectacular effects. Particularly high quantities of ambient ether can prove harmful to the human body even as they empower the most extreme acts of magic. Distant ether is ether obtained, according to the Great Cycle Hypothesis, from the alternate dimension cycling around Earth. While distant ether can be drawn, the process of doing so is incredibly difficult and even the most powerful of mages take years to gather significant etheric energy through drawing distant ether. Moreover, there are no known benefits to using distant ether rather than drawn ether. This means that when ambient magic is low mages are forced to meter themselves and conserve energy. Magician The term magician is a catch all term which refers to all magic users of every kind. In a broad sense there are four categories of magicians, humans with active ether cores, non-humans who have active ether cores naturally, etheric beings which seem to be nothing less than sentient ether cores and objects granted ether cores ranging from magic swords to fully sentient golems. Technically speaking any entity which possesses an active ether core is a magician. Pockets Pockets are alternate dimensions which are neither Earth or the dimension from which ether originates. Their exact composition varies but they are almost exclusively far smaller than the universe in which Earth exists. The largest known pocket is merely the size of a single solar system compared to Earth's vast universe. The levels of ambient ether in pockets vary dramatically and high etheric content pockets are frequently marked as tremendously valuable resources. Often magical flora and fauna originates in particularly high ambient ether pockets. The means of accessing a given pocket vary dramatically from requiring a single specific key to being at a certain place at a specific time or performing a specific ritual. The means of leaving such pockets are equally diverse. Magic in practice The process of using magic is individualistic and varies dramatically from case to case amongst individual mages. Magicians within the same lineage or school of etheric manipulation tend to produce magical effects through identical methods. However, different lineages use vastly different methods. SImilarly magical creatures and the infected tend to manipulate etheric energy through the same processes unique to their species. Outside of lineages and distinct species of magical being, it is incredibly hard to predict the specific capabilities that an individual magician will develop. Magic seems to be shaped more by the individual psyche of the magician than through an understanding of etheric physics or biological similarity. Humans with similar personalities frequently manifest similar abilities as magicians. Moreover, magic often, though not always, conforms somewhat to the individual magician's personality. A foundling with a firey personality may develop the power to manipulate fire or cause explosions. However, this relationship is not that well understood as of yet and hardly predictive outside of the training lineages use to produce magicians of similar personalities (and identical magic abilities). Magic Users Human Human magicians fall into two categories, the foundlings who develop powers on their own and the lineages who are clans of magic users. In truth it is possible that an etheric being or non-human may become a foundling, or in exceedingly rare cases (and almost always from the magical races) belong to a lineage in addition to being a magic user. Rather than thinking of this category as humans who do magic, it is better to think of it as the only magic one can do while remaining human. A human with an active ether core will always fall into one of the following two categories. Largely this is because humans are relatively inept at magic on the whole. For many races the manipulation of ether is as natural as breathing. For the incredibly populous humans it is the task of a lifetime to develop such skills. However, perhaps because of the adversity involved, those few human magicians who truly master their powers are the equal of any being. Foundlings Foundling is a generic term refering to magicians who awakened to magic without the benefit of a clan of other mages. Their powers are unique and unpredictable, changing rapidly as the foundling develops. Often foundlings are considered to be the weakest kind of magician, with the exception of ghosts, but this is false. The reality of the situation is twofold. Firstly, any lineage of mages worthy of the name is bound to have produced several successful mages who can be seen to represent their race. Likewise for other categories. By contrast, every foundling represents him or herself first and foremost. Moreover, foundlings lack the infrastructure other categories of magician benefit from. Without instruction, resources or knowledge of magic it is far harder to develop magical powers. In fact, all lineages were derived from either another lineage or a foundling who managed to find ways to reproduce their talents, with some drift, in others. Moreover, as seen in a few cases, exceptionally developed foundlings are prone to leaving humanity behind entirely, becoming a fundamentally new form of being, often with the capability to breed true, pass on its powers through infection, or both. One theory despised by most of the magical community is that foundlings themselves are the origins of every form of magic-using non-human. Demographics: Currently there are estimated to be perhaps 1500 foundlings active in the world. As the amount of ambient mana rises, encounters with magical creatures should cause this number to spike dramatically. By 2020 the number is expected to be well over ten times its current estimate. Typical Powers: '''Foundlings tend toward developing a single special ability or a small cluster of abilities. Often powerful foundlings find these abilities to be incredibly versatile. Typical foundling powers are abstract and not directly visible. Clairvoyance of some form, the ability to alter probability and other 'psychic' abilities are the prototypical foundling skills. Almost as frequently, a foundling will possess a single form of ability such as elemental manipulation or telekinesis. The abilities least frequently seen amongst foundlings are direct physical modification of their own bodies and broad skillsets that allow for an incredibly diverse quantity of seemingly unrelated abilities. For foundlings, growth in power is most frequently accomplished not only by increasing the amount of ether they can draw or the speed at which they can draw, but coming into greater understanding of their specific magic and the rules under which it works. An ability assumed to be telekinesis might actually be a manifestation of spacial manipulation which allows for far broader applications than the foundling initially assumed possible. '''Typical Weaknesses: Foundlings, in general, have the typical physical abilities of a human. While foundlings are by no means less athletic than general humans they tend to find themselves unable to compete in terms of pure physical power with magical beings whose physics-defying bodies function through the manipulation of ether. Sample Characters: Tobias Whiterow, Miss Seo, Aastik Ragarajan Lineages Lineages are those magicians who come from a long line of previous magicians. As the precise mechanisms by which a magician develops specific forms of magic are relatively unknown lineages are those rare groups who have, through trial, error and luck stumbled upon a method which reproduces the capabilities of their original founder. The difficulty of this process, as well as the dangers in reproducability have made most lineages obsessed with maintaining the integrity of this process. Many lineages such as that headed by Isaac Newton exhibit secondary goals, such as advancing the sciences through use of magic or protecting the power of the Japanese throne however all lineages share an obsession with securing their next generatio which has translated into a general tendency toward researching and understanding greater magic. Lineages often seek to steal the secrets known by other lineages and are somewhat fanatical about protecting such. The method by which lineages secure their next generation is known as transformation into the founder: a process contiguous from childhood which seeks to reproduce the specific personality of that lineage's founder. Precise mechanisms vary and lineages guard the methodology of training their young with incredible secrecy. In truth, these methods have always drifted a certain extent from the original founder, allowing for slight variations within generations as magicians create a different founder's image that they seek to replicate. In the oldest lineages this means that the current generation has almost nothing in common with the lineage's actual founder as opposed to an idea of what that founder was. This is largely thought to account for the tendency of lineages to develop particularly broad skillsets of magical abilities. Often strange drugs, magical rituals, hypnosis and even physical alterations to make new mages resemble the founder of a lineage are quite common. Some lineages maintain a strict order of succession from parent to child while others seek to adopt hundreds of new recruits, keeping only the lucky and talented few who prove capable of developing powers. While a few lineages simply murder any failures, many others keep those who failed to develop magic of any sort as an outer group who work as servants for the the inner group who possess magic. Lastly, as lineages necessitate that a group of people be willing to work together and that every member of the lineage possess a somewhat similar disposition which emulates their founder's image'' ''most lineage mages are quite socially adept, at least within the groups they identify as theirs. By contrast, the tightly nit lineages tend to look down on outsiders and non-magicians. '''Demographics: There are 117 known lineages, the smallest of which contains only 2 active magicians at any given time and the largest of which contains 33 known magicians and as many as 1200 non-magic using members. Typical Powers: Lineages are those who understand magic the best. Where gods and beasts can manipulate ether through the mere fact of their existence, a lineage is a group of magicians who have researched for hundreds of years to become capable of using numerous diverse powers in accordance with a single method. The typical lineage magician can be considered the typical fantasy wizard. If foundlings have a specific ability which can create numerous possible effects, then lineages can be construed as mages who use a specific method to enact any number of abilities. Typical Weaknesses: Lineages are most frequently squishy wizards. Moreover, their formalized rituals and techniques lend themselves to two other weaknesses. Lineage magicians are rarely capable of creating new effects dynamically or enacting specific powers on the fly. With enough preperation time a skilled lineage mage has few to no limits on what they might attempt, but a surprised lineage magician is very unlikely to succeed. Moreover, by understanding the magic of a lineage, one implicitely understands the magic of every magician within that lineage. Consequently lineages are prone to secrecy and jealously guarding their research, since to let such out would spell their own downfall. Contrast alone has sought communication and the spread of knowledge as a tool to advance magic. Sample Characters: Isaac Newton, Hattori Hanzou, Mattia Novak Non-Human Non-humans, aliens, mythical beasts, monsters. These are numerous names used to refer to a broad category of beings who are alive, possess ether cores, and possess a body. Magic creatures tend to come from two sources. And it is along these lines that UNIES divides magical creatures. There are those who are a genuine race of beings, breeding true to create a new generation and infecting others with something resembling an etheric virus which alters their ether core, and eventually physical body, to be something entirely non-human. The precise origins of non-human species are shrouded in mystery. It is one thing to say that vampires spread through a communicable disease. It is another entirely to say that the first vampire originated from a specific curse cast by the god Zeus. In general, there are three suspected origins for non-humans. Evolutionary Origins: Most favored by non-human supremacists, the evolutionary explanation is comparatively recent and states that non-humans evolved naturally from other species, occassionally humans, much like humans evolved from apes. Two distinct flaws can be seen in this argument. Firstl the fact that that magic comes and leaves with alarming regularity in a timespan covering several hundred years necessitates that certain genes would not be selected with any regularity during the long periods where such genes are chosen. This renders the idea that natural selection chooses lineages more predisposed toward magic rather strange. Adherents suggest that evolution probably occured in pockets with both high ambient mana and accelerate time-flows allowing for the creation of such species more sustainably. The higher presence of magical non-humans in such areas tends to lend some credence to this theory. The second flaw is more damaging. While perhaps valid for non-humans who breed true the idea that non-humans who reproduce virally without clear genetic mechanisms seems strange given that they seem to pass on racial characteristics independent of any breeding. Adherents amongst those species who breed are known to suggest that the infectuous have an entirely different origin Divine Creation: This theory suggests that non-humans are the deliberate creation of a select few very powerful gods. While there is little evidence to support this theory, there is also little evidence against it. This theory is disliked by non-human supremacists and is virtually untestable within the current limits of etheric sciences. No god has, as of yet, deigned to confirm such. Complete Magician Theory: Most favored by certain lineages and despised by non-human supremacist groups, this theory holds that very powerful human magicians who have 'completed' their magic may completely transcend their humanity gradually reshaping their ether core into something distinct from that of humanity as they approach completion. Doing so, the theory claims, often allows a complete magician, perhaps those from lineages who specialize in modifying others, to pass on such mutations through some form of vector which forcibly changes the ether cores of other magicians. Other 'complete' magicians would develop simple genetic differences which lead new generations to produce non-human ether cores. While historical records do suggest the existence of several complete magicians and there are 4 known living individuals who claim to be such, Of the four known, only one, who currently self identifies with the name Dracula, can reproduce in such a way. Moreover none has been able to provide sufficient proof to establish the veracity of their claims. While many, outside of non-human supremacists, are currently inclined to favor the Complete Magician theory the nature of ether cores is still poorly understood at best and the ways in which they interact with genetics are entirely obscure to modern science. Regardless of their ultimate origin, magical creatures vary far more dramatically from species to species than human magicians. In general, non-humans use magic that is instinctive and can be described as something closer to what they are rather than something they do. Magical Races From mindless gryphons to the graceful fairies, non-humans of this variety tend to possess immediately visible differences from humanity. That said, there are numerous species which either look or, such as the sidhe, can disguise themselves to appear human. Across the board these creatures have a tendency toward incredible durability and strength. Even the delicate seeming sidhe are significantly stronger than humanity. Moreover, each magical creature has unique powers exclusive to their race. Demographics: At current average worldwide ambient ether levels, there are only a few dozen near-normal magical races who can function on Earth. If the number of active races in pockets and dormant races are added to the list, then the number of magical races swells into the thousands. Typical Powers: For magical creatures, magic is innate and instinctive. It tends to take far simpler forms than the elusive and complicated abilities of foundlings or complex systems of magic favored by lineages of magicians. Rather, while magical creatures do often possess connections amongst their individual powers, they are more likely to have several distinct powers of fairly simple and straightforward use. Common Dragons, for example, have the power to breathe fire, and fly despite their size. They also seem to violate the square-cube law with alarming ease. Typical Weaknesses: Like lineage mages most magical races possess known weaknesses. While a lineage mage might have a certain magical style, magical races tend to possess physical weaknesses which can be identified through extensive xenobiology study. LIkewise many magical non-humans of sub-human intelligence exhibit slight vulnerability to magic which affects the mind or uses other non-physical vectors compared to human mages. Sample Characters: '''Titania, Jörmungandr, Brigid The Infectious The infectious are, perhaps, the most dangerous category of existence known to man. Possessing super-human powers as well as a prospensity to pass those powers along with incredible ease, the infectious pose a constant threat of overunning humanity. This is not to say that the infectious are evil. In fact, there are many infectious of model character. That said, the exponential pace at which the infectious can spread renders them incredibly dangerous to any form of society. Throughout history, most other magicians have sought to curb infectious populations whenever they begin to spread out of control. This constant battle has proven quite taxing on both the magical community and the infectious. At present 6 of the 7 known species of infectious have signed treaties to restrict their populations to pockets and are allowed to send students to UNIES. Each infectious student is required to wear a colored arm-band identifying them as such. Moreover, each student has volunteered to undergo regulary examination by telepathic instructors to verify that they have not spread their disease. '''Demographics: There are, thankfully, only 7 known active species of infectious in the world, with as many as two dozen lying dormant. The total number of infectious is estimated to lie between 1 and 2 thousand. Typical Powers: Much like magical creatures, the infectious exhibit powers largely dependent on physical capabilities. However, as with the vampire's ability to transform blood into ether, many of the infectious also possess magical abilities tied to the precise nature of their infection. Many of the infectious are able to exert a power of mental domination on generations descended from them, leading to what has been described as a pyramid-scheme structure. Typical Weaknesses: The infectious often possess unique weaknesses to certain substances. As they are generally non-human this lies less in the range of vulnerable objects and more in line with the vampire's unique vulnerability to garlic. Sample Characters: Marcus Blackflower, Dracula, Marianne Whiterow Etheric Beings Etheric beings are beings of pure ether who lack any physical body of their own. Often etheric beings will obtain a body to interact with the world, such as ghosts possessing an individual or the beings known as gods creating a physical body from pure ether. In practice there are two types of etheric beings, who are considered to be the weakest and the strongest magicians respectively. Ghosts which are ether cores that retain cohesion after their physical body dies are next to powerless on their own, dependent on the power to possess another being's ether core and take control of their mind. Gods on the other hand are beings who can manipulate such vast quantities of ether as to be nigh-omnipotent. Ghosts Ghosts are sentient ether cores who have yet to pass through to the other dimension or diffuse into ambient ether. Typically upon death a person's ether core dissolves amidst the surrounding ether and gradually cycles back into the other dimension, cleaning the ether of any noticeable remnants of personality. Ghosts are beings with particularly developed active ether cores whose sheer force of will allows them to remain cohesive after death. This lends some credence to the idea that an ether core may actually be the soul, or at least the source of human consciousness however skeptics prefer to refer to ghosts as Demographics: There are perhaps 200 active ghosts on Earth. Ghosts are unlikely to be awakened by a rise in ambient ether, but this phenomenon will make it easier for new ghosts to form and for existant ghosts to become more adventurous about switching hosts. Typical Powers: Ghosts are intangible and generally impercetible to beings without active ether cores, making them incredibly useful as spies. Beyond that ghosts are the remnants of incredibly powerful magicians retaining access to all their knowledge and wisdom. In practice, ghosts often have only a single power, the capability of possession. As a pure etheric being ghosts constantly consume ether to move. Without a physical body to assist in storing ether, ghosts are generally capable of drawing only enough ether to ensure their continued existence. By possessing someone a ghost may attempt to take over their psyche and use that target's body as their own. In truth the success of such an act is by no means guaranteed. Strong willed individuals can often overcome the act of possession, retaining fragmentary access to the ghost's knowledge and powers. Typical Weaknesses: Areas of low ambient ether can prove fatal to ghosts causing them to dissolve completely. By contrast, simply killing a ghost's physical body is unlikely to be truly productive. Ghosts with no body are generally incapable of using magic, so effects which manipulate ether directly or alter the mind are usually quite capable of subdoing ghosts with relative permanence. Sample Characters: The Red Queen, Others Gods If a ghost is an etheric being who's avoided the natural tendency to cross over to the other dimension, then a god is a bundle of sentient etheric energy who has successfully returned from that plane. The debate on the nature of gods centers fully on whether a god is a bubble of incredibly dense ether which retains sentience and personality from the transfer of the other dimension, a bubble of incredibly dense ether which somehow manages to form a new consciousness, or a bubble of incredibly dense ether which merges with some other being and, in doing so, eradicates much of the ghost's prior personality and memories. Certain organizations have historically tried to forcibly create gods. Only twice have these groups achieved partial success. None of those organizations has yet proven completely successful. Regardless, the amount of energy required for such a block of ether to swim against the current in such a way is thought to be incalculable. Only by expending tremendous amounts of energy could such a bubble of dense ether appear in Earth or a pocket. As such gods are, without exception, terrifying beings of incredible powers. It has been theorized that gods are, rather than beings from another world, merely incredibly ancient and powerful ghosts. For many adopting or repairing a physical form is a mere act of thought. Demographics: There are 12 known active gods, out of 30 known in total. The 18 others are beings who are simply incapable of acting with ambient ether levels at their present state Typical Powers: None, gods are exceedingly unpredictable adopting freely the powers of any other being. The only constant about gods is their staggering might. Typical Weaknesses: Gods are beings of ether more fundamentally than any other. To gods using ether is as natural as breathing. Likewise gods can naturally draw and manipulate vast quantities of ether instantly with the merest thought. Typical Weaknesses: Most gods are horribly inefficient at using ether. To produce the same effect as a lesser being a god will typically exert several dozen times as much energy. Many gods are incapable of doing small things entirely. Lighting a candle is beyond Kagatsuchi, though wiping out a city with a single ball of flame well within his power. Gods can only function in areas of exceedingly high ambient ether concentration. Areas where ether concentration alone would prove lethal to any other being are perfectly habitable, and even ideal for gods. Pockets such as these, like Olympus, have provided some gods with a safe-house during times of low ether. Constructs Constructs are non-living beings imbued with a man-made ether core. The precise mechanisms for making constructs are highly specialized and, as far as is known, exclusive to a small number of rare lineages and certain gods. In principle constructs can be divided into two categories. Golems are constructs which use their ether core of their own volition, possessing both intelligence and some level of human rights. Artifacts are those constructs which have no animating intelligence and possess ether cores which allow for specific magical functions at the behest of the artifact's user. Golems Sample Characters: Sun Wukong, Emet, 85 Artifacts Category:UNIES